Life is tough on Poppies II in Kuta Bali

What’s usually the situation with the beggars Nick? I don’t like to be taken advantage of, but I can’t help feeling sorry for someone who is genuinely down on their luck.

Are these people really desperate through no fault of their own, or is it just one more way of making a living?

The last time I saw a look like the one on the Tube girl’s face, I was 16 and trying to explain to my father how the astonishing amount of damage to his new car was not “really” my fault.

I think the people who are begging definitely don’t have a lot of cash or a job. However most of them look well fed ( this lady excepted). I remember some of the beggers in India lookinglike they hadn’t eaten inal ong time. Most of the people in Bali, especially the kids look like they are okay.

Its up to you if you want to give.

Looks like there’s a child behind her?
Makes my heart ache to see them, but my hubby asures me that the Balinese don’t like or acceptthis & do not want to encourage it. They have places they can go to for food etc, but they choose not to? Might be a money making scam, but still makes me feel bad! But as my Grand Fatrher tells me… 84 years ago when he was in Holland at kinder they were all asked to save silver paper from Cigarette packs, milk bottle tops & the like to help Africa. We still have commercials requesting money & stuff for world vision etc… I found out that a minimum amount donated actually only makes it to the needy, since then I tend not to donate!?!

G’Day Nick,

There used to be a woman & child who hung around at the corner of Melasti and Legian. Now she was organised!. Saw her one day being picked up by her husband on a motorbike who was very well dressed!.

I reckon if it makes you feel good to give a little, then go for it.
Candika is a sucker for beggars. Being a Bhuddist, it’s in her nature to give.

I know an Indian lady who told me when she was 16 there was a guy at her local train station who used to stand there and tell people he had just come from the city and had lost all his posessions. A couple of years ago she went back ( she’s now 50 ) and he’s still there!

Not saying the people in the photo are scammers but she looks like she can’t even walk and its amazing she just happended to stop outside Tubes, a place where a poor villager would never just go for a stroll.

When my parents visited my Uncle who was living in Singapore, they went to a St African restaurant, it was about 75r, for corkage!
Anyways it was an open air place 7 beggars (usually kids around 5-8 yrs) used to ask for money & My Dad could not bear to see it, so handed over some money, my Uncle warned him not to encourage it, next minute they were swarmed by them… Later on they saw the group of kids in the restaurant sharing their money with the restaurant owners!
So he decided never again….!